Paula's Choice Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA Versus Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Serum

Paula's Choice Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA Versus Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Serum

This pore-care exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dipropylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid

Oleanolic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Trehalose

Panthenol

Glycerin

PEG-60 Almond Glycerides

Sodium Metabisulfite

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Methyl Gluceth-20

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Glycereth-26

Sodium Hydroxide

Carbomer

Disodium EDTA

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Trehalose, Panthenol, Glycerin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sodium Metabisulfite, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycereth-26, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dextrin

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract

Betaine

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Sodium Chloride

Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Pearl Powder

Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract

Sodium Palmitoyl Proline

Water, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dextrin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glycerin, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Betaine, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Chloride, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pearl Powder, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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